The trace of oil and history: House Museum of the Nobel Brothers VIDEO
Baku, February 5, AZERTAC
The next feature in AZERTAC’s “If I Were a Tourist” column turns the spotlight on the House Museum of the Nobel Brothers.
The House Museum of the Nobel Brothers is located in Baku’s Khatai district, at 8 Noyabr Avenue.
Built between 1882 and 1884, the Nobel House has been operating as a museum since 2008. The two-story building accommodates the museum on the lower floor, while the upper floor functions as the Baku Nobel Oil Club and Business Center.
The interior is designed in a simple European style, complemented by a specially arranged “Eastern-style” room. The exhibits were prepared on the basis of historical materials with financial support from the late Toghrul Baghirov, former chairman of the Baku Nobel Heritage Foundation. Alongside his scientific activity, Toghrul Baghirov was also known for his philanthropic mission. In 2003, together with the Nobel Family Society, he established the Baku Nobel Heritage Fund (BNHF), which unites the heirs of the Nobel brothers. Registered with the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, the BNHF carries out educational activities and implements Nobel-related projects in the fields of technological innovation, science, culture, and education.
Known as “Villa Petrolea,” the building is the only house museum of the Nobel brothers located outside Sweden. Its interior reflects an atmosphere of luxury, featuring paintings and books brought from St. Petersburg, as well as expensive locally woven carpets from Azerbaijan and Iran. The property belonged to the Nobel brothers until 1920. Prior to its transformation into a museum, the building served as a hospital and later as an orphanage. Alongside its original furnishings, the museum also displays items brought from the Nobel brothers’ former residences in St. Petersburg and Sweden.
The arrival and investments of the Nobel brothers, who played a significant role in the development of Baku’s oil industry, marked an important milestone in the country’s history. These oil magnates from Northern Europe left a lasting legacy on Azerbaijan’s economic life — a heritage that continues to live on through the museum’s exhibits.
Other news in this section
